Subaru Exiga 2.0GT Tuned by STI

The Japanese need hopped-up family-mobiles, too.

ERIK JOHNSON

Oct 22, 2009

Besides the Hybrid Tourer concept and WRX STI Carbon, Subaru’s Tokyo auto show stand also housed this cool take on its seven-passenger Japanese domestic market (JDM) Exiga. Subaru says this STI-tweaked model is already scheduled to go on sale in Japan next March, and that it will be limited to just 300 units. It will be priced at ¥3,591,000 (about $40K) and be available in four colors, including World Rally blue.

The tweaks include suspension work, an STI sport exhaust, 17-inch STI wheels, a leather shift knob, Alcantara and leather seats with STI logos, a 220-kph (137-mph) STI speedometer, and a Momo steering wheel. The body was breathed on, too, with STI spoilers for the front lip and rear hatch among the modifications.

The 2.0GT that serves as the basis for this model sits at the top of the Exiga lineup and houses a 221-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged and intercooled flat-four that puts out 240 lb-ft of torque. Naturally, the output is sent to all four wheels via all-wheel drive. A five-speed automatic is the only transmission, although it rev-matches downshifts when operated in manual mode.